From Death to Life

Ancient Greek philosopher Phillips Smalley succeeds in creating a concoction that will turn flesh to stone He tests it out by adding the liquid to a small pool on his property and dipping a rabbit in it, then hurries back to his laboratory to work some more on it. When his wife, Lois Weber and his friend come in, he orders them out so he can get on with his work. The friend tries to kiss Miss Weber and she falls into the pool.

Uh-oh! It's not much of a sensible story, since it's a terrible waste of a tasty rabbit and, even worse, a beautiful woman. I prefer to think that this was an experimental film for the couple who would become two of the biggest directors of the mid-teens -- particularly Miss Weber. It's a good exercise in cutting and editing within the camera to have these objects seem to transform from a living to a static condition, and vice versa. The result is worth watching, but for historical purposes, rather than its own excellence.